OPPO A3 is the most affordable model of the A-line smartphone that appeared in Ukraine more than a week ago. The novelty offers a US military-standard body, a 50MP main camera and a 5MP front camera, a 6.67-inch 90Hz screen, a 5100 mAh battery, and “gaming capabilities”. I will tell you how interesting the latter turned out to be and what else will attract your attention in the review.
Package and delivery set
But let’s talk about everything one by one. The user will receive an A3 smartphone in a modular cardboard box in the style we are already familiar with – a combination of a milky background with gray, black, and silver shades + a sticker with technical data and other “stuff”. In general, nothing new – we saw exactly the same box design in the review of the A18, A58 and many other smartphones in the lineup.
As for the package contents, the user will find the classics: the smartphone itself, a 45W charger adapter, a USB-USB Type-C cable, the necessary documentation, plus a paper clip to access the container with SIM card and memory card trays.
OPPO A3 specifications
- Dimensions: 165.77×76.08×7.68 mm;
- Weight – 186 g;
- Display – 6.67 inches, 89.9%, resolution – HD+ (1604×720 pixels), 90 Hz, color gamut – bright mode: 83% NTSC, soft mode: 71% NTSC; up to 16.7 million colors (8-bit), 264 ppi;
- “Hardware – 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen2, Adreno 610@1050MHz, 6GB + 128GB, 6GB + 256GB LPDDR4X@2133MHz, 2 × 16 bit + microSD + USB OTG;
- Battery – 5100 mAh + fast charging;
- Biometrics – fingerprint, face recognition;
- Sensors – geomagnetic sensor, front/rear ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer, gravity sensor, step counter;
- Frequency range – GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, WCDMA, LTE FDD;
- Connectivity – WLAN (Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a/b/g/n, WLAN 2.4G/WLAN 5G, WLAN Display, WLAN network connection, Wi-Fi 5GHz 80MHz), Bluetooth (5.0, SBC, AAC, and aptx), NFC;
- Navigation technology – GNSS, BeiDou, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS;
- Camera: main – 50 megapixels; f/1.8; viewing angle 76°; 5P lens; autofocus; open-loop focusing motor, front – 5 megapixels; f/2.2; viewing angle 78°; 3P lens; fixed focus.
Design, materials and build quality
The first thing to understand here is that the model is a budget model, even with all its advantages and features. The second thing that follows is the absolutely classic style of execution, which partially imitates other representatives of the line. There is nothing wrong with this – “inheritance” in the line is an absolutely normal practice, and not only for this manufacturer. The main thing against this background is successful ergonomics; we will return to it later.
Abstracting from the above, I should note that I personally liked the design. Yes, it doesn’t evoke unnecessary WOW-emotions, but at the same time it gives the impression of a well-built, self-sufficient model for everyday use that won’t let you down. What’s more, it has good ergonomics, an artistically thoughtful color combination, and a style that will suit not only office workers.
The case, as I mentioned above, is protected. It is protected according to three standards – MIL-STD 810H, SGS and IP54. You have to admit, it’s impressive! Thus, minor bumps, falls from a low height, splashes, dust, and so on – there is protection against everything, and it’s nice that even the low cost of the device did not prevent the implementation of the above protection.
As for the case materials, not everything is known, but… The front, for example, has double tempered glass. In addition, a protective film is glued to the front.
Behind it are several layers of specially pressed and double-strengthened organic glass. The result, by the way, is very cool, and I couldn’t even leave a “pirate mark” with the tip of a key.
The bumper around the perimeter is visually and tactilely plastic.
OPPO A3 ergonomics
The handset is comfortable for the hand. Yes, we’re not talking about controlling all the functionality with the fingers of the hand holding the smartphone – this is impossible a priori for a 6.67-inch “terminal”. But all of the above doesn’t change the fact – the A3 feels good in the hand, and it’s comfortable to operate, even if it’s partially functional. In short, I personally give it the highest score here.
As for the elements. Almost all the space in front (as we remember from the corresponding list of characteristics above – 83%) is taken up by the display. In its upper part there is a 5-megapixel front camera, and in the lower part there are three classic touch buttons placed on the functional part.
The most noticeable element at the back is, let’s say, a “pedestal” with a dual 50MP camera. Next to it is a huge flash. Separately, but on the same panel, the user will easily notice a sticker with several ribbons of technical data and a little to the side – markings.
The right side panel is notable for the dual volume rocker and the power on/off button. The manufacturer integrated a fingerprint scanner into the latter.
The opposite edge is where the aforementioned SIM card/memory card container is located.
Finally, the bottom end is notable for a 3.5 mm jack, a built-in microphone, and a USB Type-C port + speaker mesh.
OPPO A3 Display
OPPO A3 has a 6.67-inch LCD screen with a resolution of HD+ or 1604×720 pixels.
- The ratio of the screen to the front panel area is 89.9%.
- Refresh rate – up to 90 Hz.
- The pressure sampling rate is up to 180 Hz.
- The color gamut in bright mode is 83% NTSC, in soft mode – 71% NTSC.
- Color depth – up to 16.7 million colors (8-bit).
- Pixel density is 264 ppi.
Impressions of working with the screen
Although the pixel density falls a little short of the benchmark, the grain on the panel is practically invisible, and therefore the discomfort is minimal.
The maximum viewing angles are larger than average, which is also nice. No less pleasant is the fact that even at the maximum possible tilt, the screen does not show a blatant “overflow” towards white or blue.
I liked the responsiveness of the screen, including even to cursory presses.
As for the corresponding settings item, among the interesting things here is the ability to select a light or dark mode, automatic and manual brightness adjustment, setting the color mode that is optimal for your purposes, as well as choosing a font and display size, setting a timeout, etc.
When working with a “tube” in languages, when sunlight hits the panel, the displayed data “fades out”, but it does not put a special strain on the eyes.
Built-in memory
The smartphone is available in two versions with 128 GB of internal memory and 256 GB. Personally, I dealt with the older version.
The illustrations below show exactly how many gigabytes of the declared ones are available to the user out of the box, and how many are “reserved” by the system.
Memory expansion options
The user can expand the “standard” amount of built-in memory using microSD cards or by connecting a USB drive. The maximum capacity is not specified in either the first or the second “case”, but I found out through testing that it is at least 512GB.
Speakers
OPPO A3 has two separate speakers – an earpiece speaker located above the display and a loudspeaker on the bottom of the smartphone.
Settings and sound quality
I personally liked the sound quality. Yes, it’s not a music-oriented smartphone, but at the same time, a conversation with a caller is comfortable for the user in almost any conditions; I did not test it in the subway.
The speakerphone is also not a “weak link” in our “chain”. Yes, without much detail and the like, but nevertheless, I watched even videos outside in the park with pleasure, and I did not want to connect headphones at all.
As for the settings, everything is classic as for OPPO smartphones belonging to this line: selecting the sound mode, adjusting the volume, selecting a ringtone, and working with sound effects. What the latter mean, we’ll detail below in the photo.
In addition, in the “More” section, the user can select a device and work with the “Personal Monitoring” item. The latter means listening to your voice with low latency and carefully calibrated reverb effects.
Battery and autonomy
The capacity of the built-in battery is 5100 mAh.
Battery life testing was performed using the Battery HD application. The results are shown in the illustrations below.
Recharging speed
The battery charges from zero to 50% in just half an hour. Yes, it is officially stated and I confirmed this data in practice.
Hardware
“The heart of the system is an 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen2 processor. Graphics are powered by Adreno 610. The amount of RAM is 6GB. The latter can be expanded by the user using classic OPPO tools – see the photo below for details.
Wireless modules and interfaces
As for the wireless modules and interfaces available on board, I would like to mention WLAN (Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a/b/g/n, WLAN 2.4G/WLAN 5G, WLAN Display, WLAN network connection, Wi-Fi 5GHz 80MHz), Bluetooth (5.0, SBC, AAC, and aptx), and NFC.
As for the Navigation item, GNSS, BeiDou, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS are responsible for solving this “issue”.
Software
The phone runs on proprietary ColorOS 14.0. We will discuss its features in detail in a separate review in a few days.
Pre-installed applications
The pre-installed applications include TikTok, WPS Office, as well as Spotify, Linkedin, Facebook, and others.
Special attention to the “collection” Hot Apps, which contains a huge number of different links to downloadable applications – the corresponding action is performed in one click.
But the manufacturer offers to try OPPO A3 in games from the corresponding folder-section, called “Worth playing”.
In addition, the second Hot Games folder allows you to download a large number of games from the category recommended by the manufacturer.
Performance and features in games
I tested the system’s performance using several popular applications. The results are shown in the illustrations below.
As for the gaming orientation, there are no special controls, but the hardware on board is enough for a comfortable pastime, including playing your favorite game. I personally played some of the games recommended by the manufacturer and downloaded some of my own. The results are good – in the end, we have a smooth process without tangible “thoughts” and the like. In short, you will be able to play modern games on OPPO A3, and I had enough time to make sure of this.
OPPO A3 cameras
The smartphone has a dual main camera and a 5MP front camera.
- The first one is 50 megapixels, f/1.8; 76° viewing angle; 5P lens; autofocus; open-loop focusing motor.
- Front – f/2.2; 78° angle of view; 3P lens; fixed focus.
- Shooting modes: Pro, Video, Photo, Night, Panorama, Slow motion, Time lapse, Stickers, Text scanner, Extra HD, Double video.
- Shoot video 1080P@30fps, 720P@30fps, zoom video: 1080P@30fps, 720P@30fps, slow motion video: 720P@120fps, time-lapse mode: 1080P@30fps and dual video: 720P@30fps.
Test video
Test photos
Expert opinion
As a result, with OPPO A3, the user will receive a noteworthy smartphone model for every day. An interesting example of balanced functionality, a protective and at the same time sophisticated body, and good battery life with a “bonus” in the form of fast charging support.
The OPPO A3 costs 7599 UAH for the 6 GB RAM/256 GB ROM version.
The product was provided by OPPO press service in Ukraine.
